Low profile hitch for road semitrailer



Feb. 24, 1970 s. H. ENocHlAN LOW PROFILE HITCH FOR ROAD SEMITRAILER 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1967 Feb. 24, 1970 s, H. ENocHlAN3,497,169

LOW PROFILE HITCH FOR ROAD SEMITRAILER Filed July 28. 1967 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 24, 1970 s. H. ENOCHIAN LOW PROFILE HITCH FOR ROADSEMITRAILR m NNN .www www Filed -July 28, 1967 Feb. 24, 19m s, H,ENOCHMN 3,497,169

LOW PROFILE HITCH FOR ROAD SEMITRAILER Filed July 28, 1967 5vSheets-Sheet 5 /02\` v ,//80 Aff/L"` 1 United States Patent O U.S. Cl.248-119 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed alow-profile hitch for use in securing in place a road semitrailercomprising a substantially rectangular base including a pair oflongitudinal side members of predetermined extent, a standard pivotallymounted at its lower end in the front end of the base and pivotableabout an axis extending laterally thereof, the standard being pivotablebetween an erected position and a storage position, a strut arrangedrearwardly of the standard and having its front end pivotally connectedto the standard and having its rear end slideable with respect to theside members, a pair of longitudinal slide bars mounted in the front'ofthe side members for longitudinal sliding movements therealong, a pairof rails resiliently mounted on the outer sides of the side members, apair of latch keepers disposed at the rear ends of the slide barslatching mechanism having a set position connecting the rear end of thestrut to the latch keepers and a trip position disconnecting the strutfrom the latch keepers, means operative to trip the latching mechanismso that the standard is biased into its storage position forautomatically pivoting in response to tripping of the latchingmechanism, and a fifth-wheel mechanism carried by the upper end of thestandard to engage an associated road semitrailer when the standard isin its erected position, all parts of the hitch being confined withinthe predetermined vertical extent of the side members when the standardis in the storage position, thereby to provide a low-prole hitchaccommodating in the storage position thereof the passage thereover ofvehicles having low ground clearance.

The present invention relates to hitches for road semitrailers, and moreparticularly to such hitches that are constructed and arranged so thatthey can be mounted upon a substantially flat deck of a wide variety ofrailway cars and present a low profile when it is in the storageposition thereof, thus to accommodate the passage thereover of vehicleshaving low ground clearance.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide alow-profile hitch of the type set forth including a pair oflongitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart supports having apredetermined vertical extent and adapted to be rigidly secured to anassociated flat deck, a standard pivotally mounted on the supports aboutan axis extending laterally thereof for pivotal movement between astorage position and an erected position, the standard in the storagebeing disposed between the supports within the vertical extent thereofand rearwardly of the axis, an element extending laterally between thesupports rearwardly of the axis and mounted on the supports forlongitudinal sliding movements with respect thereto and beingoperatively connected to the standard, whereby the element is slid intoa first position rearwardly of an away from the axis and a secondpositon rearwardly of and toward the axis in response to respectivepivotal movements of the standard into its storage and erectedpositions, a longitudinally extending slide bar mounted on one of thesupports, a pair of longi- 3,497,169 Patented Feb. 24, 1970 "Icetudinally extending rails respectively resiliently mounted upon theouter sides of the supports and within the vertical extent thereof, aconnection arranged between the slide bar and the adjacent one of therails forwardly of the axis, a latch keeper disposed on the slide baradjacent to the rear end thereof, latching mechanisms having a setposition connecting the standard to the latch keeper and a trip positiondisconnecting the standard from t-he latch keeper, means responsive topivotal movement of the standard into its erected position for settingthe latching mechanism, means operative to trip the latching mechanism,the standard being biased into its storage position, a buffer arrangedbetween the supports adjacent to the rear ends thereof and within thevertical extent thereof and disposed in the path of travel of theelement, and a fifth-wheel mechanism carried by the upper end of thestandard and adapted to be disposed in the erected position of thestandard in supporting relation with the front end of a cooperatingsemitrailer and holding the cooperating kingpin thereof, all parts ofthe hitch being confined within the predetermined vertical extent of thesupports when the standard is in the storage position thereof thereby toprovide a low-profile hitch accommodating in the storage position thepassage thereover of vehicles having low ground clearance.

In connection wit-h the foregoing object, it is another object of theinvention to provide a low-profile hitch of the type set forth whereinthe predetermined vertical extent of the supports is no more than about6 inches and preferably no more than 51/2 inches.

Another object of t-he invention is to provide in a lowprotle hitch ofthe type set forth a pick-up bar pivotally mounted on the standard andpivotable into a recess in the standard when the standard is moved tothe storage position thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide in an improved low-profilehitch of the type set forth a hollow base in which all other parts ofthe hitch are placed when in the storage position thereof, the hollowbase having a small predetermined vertical extent of the order of nomore than about 6 inches.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a lowprofile hitch ofthe type set forth an improved linkage structure for operating thefifth-wheel mechanism between its locked and unlocked positions withrespect to the associated kingpin and for operating the latchingmechanism, the linkage structure including a plunger mounted on a strutinterconnecting the standard and the rails, a first linkage mounted onthe standard and interconnecting the plunger and the fifth-wheelmechanism, and a second linkage mounted on the strut and interconnectingthe latching mechanism and the plunger, the plunger and strut and thelinkages all being disposed within the predetermined vertical extent ofthe support or base when the parts are in theA storage position thereof.

In connection with the foregoing object, it is another object of theinvention to provide a linkage between the latching mechanism and theplunger which is adjustable, thereby to accommodate a change in theeffective length of the linkage to compensate for wear in the linkageand the latching mechanism.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a low-profilehitch of the type set forth a cover mounted on the strut and overlyingthe lower end of the linkage attached thereto for protection thereofwhen the hitch is in its storage position.

'Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangementof the elements yof the hitch, whereby the above-entitled and additionaloperating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation,together with further objects and advantages thereof will best beunderstood by reference to the following specification when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary side elevational View lof the right-hand endof a railway car carrying a road semitrailer and a hitch supporting thefront end of the road semitrailer and securing the same in place via thecooperating kingpin, wherein the hitch is of the collapsible type thatis selectively operative between storage and erected positions, andembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the end ofthe railway car, partly broken away, and illustrating the mounting ofthe hase of the hitch upon the deck of the railway car;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the end ofthe railway car similar to FIG. 2, and illustrating the parts of thehitch in the storage position thereof;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged side elevational view of the hitch withcertain portions broken away, and illustrating the standard incorporatedin the hitch in its erected position and also illustrating the latchingmechanism incorporated in the hitch for selectively restraining thestandard in its erected position, and further illustrating the fthwheelmechanism carried by the upper end of the standard;

FIG. 5 is a side elveational view of the hitch of FIG. 4 as viewed fromthe right-hand side thereof;

FIG. 6 is a view of the lower portion of the strut and the latchingmechanism forming a part of the hitch of FIG. 4 as seen in the directionof the arrows along the line 6 6 thereof;

FIG. 7 is a view in section along the line 7 7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view in horizontal section along the line 8 8 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a view in vertical section along the line 9 9 of FIG. 8,certain portions having been broken away;

FIG. 10 is a partly `diagrammatic plan view illustrating theconstruction of the slide assembly and mounting thereof upon the base;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view in vertical section and on an enlargedscale, taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary View on an enlarged scale in vertical sectionalong the line 12 12 in FIG. 8.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown the right-handend of a railway car 10 of the atcar type that is employed in piggybackservice and that carries two road semitrailers 50 and that has mountedthereon two hitches 100 embodying the features of the present invention;only one of the road semitrailers 50 and one of the hitches 100 havebeen illustrated in the interest of simplification. The two hitches 100are arranged in longitudinal spaced-apart relation on top of the railwaycar 10 and support the front ends of the respective road semitrailers 50arranged in like disposition on top of the railway car 10 in thepiggyback operation. The railway car 10 may be of any suitableconstruction and arrangement; and, as illustrated, the railway car 10comprises an elongated longitudinally extending underframe 11 offishbelly conguration and supported at the opposite ends thereof bywheeled trucks 12 that cooperate with an associated rail track 13 in theusual manner. Also, the underframe 11 comprises a pair of body bolsters(not shown) that are respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite endsthereof; which body holsters are respectively connected by associatedkingpins (not shown) to the truck bolsters (not shown) of the wheeledtrucks 12, so as to accommodate articulation between the opposite endsof the underframe 11 and the trucks 12, all in a conventional manner.

The top of the underframe 11 carries a deck in the usual manner and hasthereon a substantially flat deck plate that extends over the entiredeck of the railway car 10, the deck plate 20 having longitudinallyextending side guide rails extending the length thereof on the outerlongitudinally extending edges thereof, the side guide rails 25extending upwardly substantially normal to the deck plate 2.0. Thus thedeck is of strong, sturdy construction and is capable of supporting thetwo road semitrailers 50, as well as a road tractor (not shown) that isemployed in loading and unloading the road semitrailers 50, as explainedmore fully hereinafter. This traffic along the deck of the railway car10 is longitudinally thereof, but it may be in either directiontherealong, since the tractor normally backs the semitrailer 50 alongthe deck plate 20 in the loading operation and normally pulls thesemitrailer 50 along the deck plate 20 in the unloading operation. Theside guide rails 25 ensure that the traffic along the deck plate 20 isconfined thereto7 and the side guide rails 25 not only prevent asemitrailer 50 carried on the deck plate 20 from being hacked off of thedeck plate 20 by the connected tractor, in the event of misalignment ofthe centerline of the semitrailer 50 and the centerline of the railwaycar 10', but they ruh or guide the rubber tires 51 carried at the rearend of the semitrailer 50 and thus exert a force thereon tending tostraighten-up the misaligned semitrailer 50, in a well known manner.

Each of the road semitrailers 50 is entirely conventional; and the roadsemitrailer 50 comprises an underframe, the rear end of which carriesone or more axles each carrying one or more pairs of rear wheels 51adjacent to the outer ends thereof, and the front end of which carries acentrally located depending kingpin, not shown; all in a well-knownmanner. Of course, the tractor (ngt shown) that is employed to pull andto back the road semitrailer 50 is altogether conventional, the rear endof which comprises one or more drive axles, each carrying one or morepairs of rear wheels adjacent to the outer ends thereof, as well as afth-wheel mechanism disposed between the rear wheels mentioned. Also,the front end of the tractor comprises the usual motive power andcontrol facilities as well as the hook to pull the hitches from thestorage positions thereof to the erected positions thereof, all as willbe explained more fully hereinafter.

Considering now the construction and arrangement of the hitch 100,embodying the features of the present invention, it is first noted thatthe same comprises an article of manufacture that may be employed on awide variety of railway cars, including the railway car 10 illustrated,so as to adapt the same to piggyback service. As best shown in FIGS. 8to 12, the hitch 100 comprises a unitary rigid base 101 of substantiallyrectangular hollow box-like structure that includes a pair oflongitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart side members orsupports 102, each in the form of a welded structure including a pair oflongitudinally spaced-apart top horizontal plate 103 and a thickerbottom horizontal plate 104 connected at the outer edges thereof by avertical plate 105, suitable welds interconnecting the plates 103, 104and 105. There is disposed between the plates 103 and 104 intermediatethe lengths thereof a block 106 which cooperates with the associatedplates 103 and 104 to Iform a section of a longitudinally extendingguideway on the inner side of the associated side member 102. Spacers orplates 107 are also provided between the plates 103 and 104 on each sideof the block 106 and extending substantially to the adjacent end of theside member 102 further to deiine the remaining portions of the guidewayon the inner side of the side member 102, the spacers 107, however,being spaced inwardly away from the adjacent portion of the verticalplate for a purpose which will be more fully understod hereinafter, eachof the spacers 107 having a pair of elongated openings 108 therein (seeFIG. 9). Finally, it will be noted that a reinforcing plate 109 isinserted between the adjacent ones of the horizontal plates 103essentially centrally of the side members 102 in order to providereinforcement at this point, the plate 109 being substantially thickerthan the plates 103.

Interconnecting the rears ends of the side members 102 is a rear crosschannel 110 including an upper flange 111 abutting against theundersurfaces of the adjacent top plates 103, a lower flange 112 restingupon the upper surfaces of the bottom plates 104, and a web 113interconnecting the flanges 111 and 112, the rear cross channel 110preferably being held in the position indicated in FIG. 9 in anysuitable manner, such as by welding. The forward end of the side members102 are held in fixed spacedapart relationship by a front cross channel115 that is constructed of three individual flat pieces of metal, andmore specifically includes a top flange 116, a bottom flange 117 and aweb 118 interconnecting the anges 116 and 117, the web 118 being weldedto the forward ends of the side members 102. Finally, a pair of lugs 120are mounted in spaced-apart position on the web 118 and are securedthereto as by welding, the lugs 120 extending rearwardly lfrom the web118 and having aligned openings 121 therein for the reception of alaterally arranged pivot pin that will be described more fullyhereinafter.

The base 101 is formed hollow, as is best shown in FIG. 8, andaccommodates therein the remaining parts of the hitch 100 when the hitch100 is in its storage position. Further, the base 101, and specificallythe side members 102, rest directly upon the deck plate 25 of therailway car and are iixedly secured thereto, preferably as by Welding. v

Considering further the construction of the hitch 100, there is mountedupon the lugs 120 a standard 130 which carries on the lower end thereofpairs of spaced-apart ears 131 that are adapted respectively to receivetherebetween the lugs 120, the ears 131 having openings 132 therein thatare in alignment with the openings 121 in the lugs 120 so as to receivetherethrough pivot pins 133. The described arrangement serves to mountthe standard 130 for pivotal movements about the lower end thereof andbetween a rearwardly disposed storage position in which it is arrangedwithin the hollow base 101 and a forwardly disposed erected position inwhich it is disposed principally out of the hollow base 101, the pivotalmotion described being in effect about an axis disposed transversely ofthe base 101 and coinciding with the longitudinal axes of the pivot pins133. The standard 130 in its erected position, as shown in FIG. 4,projects well above the front end of the base 101; while the standard130 in its storage position is disposed within the hollow base 101 andbelow the plates 103 and the reinforcing plate 109 of the side members102. Thus, the standard 130 is selectively pivotable between its twopositions described above and between the inwardly facing portions ofthe top plates 103 of the side members 102 and through the open top ofthe hollow base 101, as defined by the laterally spaced and inwardlyfacing portions of the top plate 103. Referring to FIG. 5 particularly,it will be seen that the standard 130 in fact comprises in the upper endthereof a pair of spaced-apart arms that carry at the outermost portionsthereof a pair of aligned laterally extending openings, the purpose ofwhich will be described more fully hereinafter.

Mounted upon the intermediate portion of the standard 130, andspecifically on the spaced-apart arms 135 thereof, is a pick-up bar 140that is arranged generally transversely of the base 101. The pick-up bar140 further comprises end members 141 that have bearing portions thereinreceiving pivot pins 142 mounted in aligned openings in the standardarms 135. As illustrated, the pick-up bar 140 is pivotal between anoperative position illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 4 wherein thepick-up bar 140 extends forwardly with respect to the standard 130 to beengaged by a pick-up hook on an associated road tractor, and a storageposition illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 4 wherein the pick-up bar140 is disposed completely within the confines of the standard 130 toprovide a compact arrangement resulting in the lowprofile hitch 100 ofthe present invention.

The upper portion of the standard 130, and specifically the spaced-apartarms 135 thereof pivotally support a rock lever 145 that is Wishboneshaped with the legs thereof disposed downwardly and having alignedopenings therein receiving therethrough pivot pins 146 that arechanneled respectively in the standard arms 135. A pair of springs 147are respectively provided on the opposite sides of the rock lever 145and are connected to the standard and urge the rock lever 145 in aclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 against a stop 148 also mountedon the standard 130. From FIG. 4 it further will be seen that when therock lever is in its outermost position and held therein by the springs147, it is still confined within the general outline of the standard130, thus to provide the compact arrangement for the storage purpose,all as will be described more fully hereinafter.

A fifth-wheel mechanism 150 is carried by the upper end of the standard130, and specifically by the upper ends of the arms 135 thereof, andmounted thereupon for lateral pivotal movements with respect thereto.More specifically, the fifth-wheel mechanism 150 has two pairs oflaterally spaced-apart and depending ears 151 receiving respectivelytherebetween the upper ends of the arms 135 and having openings inalignment with the openings 136 and receiving therethrough pivot pins152. The fifthwheel mechanism 150 is preferably of the construction andarrangement of that disclosed and claimed in U.S. Patent No. 3,050,320,granted Aug. 2l, 1962 to Deodat Clejan; and which fifth-wheel mechanism150 comprises a supporting head 156 that is adapted to be disposed inthe erected position of the standard 130 below and in supportingrelation with the cooperating road semitrailer 50, as shown in FIGS. 1and 2. The front end of the head 156 has a centrally disposed forwardlyopening slot 157 therein, as indicated in FIG. 5; which slot 157 isadapted to receive and guide in place a depending kingpin, not shown,carried by the front end of a supported road semitrailer 50; also, asdisclosed in the Clejan patent noted, the head 156 incorporates lockingmechanism, not shown, that includes a pair of locking jaws respectivelydisposed on opposite sides of the slot 157; which locking jaws areselectively operative into locked and unlocked positions with respect toa cooperating kingpin disposed in the slot 157. More particularly, whenthe locking jaws 155 occupy their unlocked position, the head 156 ismoved forwardly, as the standard 130 is pivoted into its erectedposition; whereby a cooperating kingpin may ride into the slot 157, asthe head 156 is moved forwardly into supporting position with respect tothe associated road semitrailer 50 carried by the deck plate 20 of therailway car 10. When the kingpin mentioned reaches its home position inthe slot 157, the clamping jaws 155 are automatically operated intotheir locking position with respect to the kingpin, so as to connect andto hold the same in order positively to ensure securing in place of thefront end of the supported road semitrailer 50. Further, as disclosed inthe Clejan patent noted, the head 156 incorporates a locking block, notshown, which is mounted for sliding movements therein; which lockingblock is normally biased forwardly in the head 156; and which lockingblock may be slid rearwardly in the head 156 by the rearward movement ofan associated plunger 153 provided with a forwardly disposed operatingbutton 154, as shown in FIG. 4. More particularly, when the operatingbutton 154 is moved rearwardly, to the left in FIG. 4, the rearwardmovement of the plunger 153 causes the locking block mentioned to moverearwardly and out of locking relation with the locking jaws 155, sothat the locking jaws 155 may be operated into their unlocked positionwith respect to the kingpin, thereby to disengage and to release thesame in order to accommodate the removal of the head 156 from itssupport position with respect to the front end of the road semitrailer50.

Also, the hitch 100 comprises a strut 160 disposed rearwardly of thesupport 130, the lower end 161 of the strut being disposed between theside members 102 within the hollow base 101. Extending upwardly from thelower end 161 is a pair of spaced-apart generally parallel andlongitudinally extending arms 162, the arms 162 having the cross sectionillustrated best in FIG. 7 thereby to impart great strength thereto, Thelower end 161 has a transverse opening 163 therein which receivestherethrough a laterally extending pivot shaft 164 carrying on theopposite ends thereof a pair of bearing slides or shoes 165 respectivelydisposed in guideways provided on the inner sides of the side members102, the shoes 165 more specifically resting upon the bottom plates 104and bearing against the ller blocks 106 and the spacers 107, as the casemay be, in close sliding relation therewith. The upper end of the strut160, and specilically the upper ends of the arms 162 have alignedopenings therethrough that receive pivot pins 166 disposed intransversely arranged aligned openings in the arms 135 of the standard130,

thereby pivotally to interconnect the upper end of the strut 160 to anintermediate point of the standard 130 disposed toward the upper endthereof. The pivot shaft 164 also carries a pair of latches 170 adjacentto the side members 102, each of the latches 170 having a rearwardlyfacing abutment surface 171, a forwardly facing cam l surface 172, andan elongated slot 173 in the inner surface thereof receiving a pin 175slidingly engaged therein, all for purposes to be described more fullyhereinafter.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 10 to 12, it will be seen that there ismounted on the forward portion of the hollow base 101 a cushioning slideassembly 180 mounted for longitudinal sliding movement with respect tothe forward end of the base 101. The slide assembly more specificallyincludes a pair of longitudinally extending and spaced-apart slide bars181 which are respectively mounted in the guideways provided on theinner sides of the side members 102, the slide bars 180 moreparticularly resting upon the bo-ttom plates 104 and engaging laterallyagainst the blocks 106 and the spacers 107, as the case may be, in closesliding relation therewith. The forward ends of the slide bars 181extend beyond the front cross channel 115 and carry a pair of supportplates 182 on the lower edges thereof extending inwardly toward eachother and supporting a pair of transversely arranged angle irons 183that are also secured to the slide bars 181 such as by |welding. Each ofthe slide bars 181 also carries adjacent to the rear end thereof a latchkeeper 185 having a forwardly disposed abutment surface 184 adapted toengage the abutment surface 171 on the latch 170 and a cam surface 186on the rear surface thereof adapted to engage the cam surface 172 on theassociated latch 170 to cam the latch 17 0 upwardly or in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4. More specifically,during the movement of the standard 130 to the erected position thereofillustrated in FIG. 4, the shoes 165 carrying the pivot shaft 164 andthe strut 160 move from the left toward the front of the slide assembly180 until the cam surface 172 on the latches 170 engage the cam surface186 on the latch keepers 185. Further movement of the parts toward theerected position causes the latches 170 to be cammed upwardly by actionof the cam surfaces 172 on the cam surfaces 186, thereby to pivot thelatches 170 in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4, andfinally the latches 170 fall downwardly upon the respective latchkeepers 185 to bring the abutment surfaces 171 into engagement with therespective abutment surfaces 184, thereby to interconnect the slideassembly 180 and the lower end of the strut 160.

Referring now vto FIGS. 8 and ll, the hitch 100 further comprises a pairof cushioning assemblies 190 each of which includes a longitudinallyextending hollow rub rail 191, the rails 191 being respectively disposedadjacent to the outer sides of the side members 102 and below the uppersurfaces of the top plates 103 thereof, and respectively mounted uponthe vertical plates 105 for independent longitudinal movements withrespect thereto. More particularly, each of the rails 191 is resilientlymounted upon the adjacent plate 105 by a series of longitudinallyspaced-apart bodies or blocks 192 of elastomeric material, such as liverubber. An opposed pair of outer surfaces of each block 192 have securedthereto mounting plates 192a and 192b, respectively, carrying bolts 194,three bolts 194 being illustrated on each mounting plate. The outermounting plate 192er is secured to a plate 193 that supports theassociated rail 191 and the inner mounting plate 192b is secured to theadjacent plate 105, nuts 195 being provided engaging the bolts 194 thusfirmly to mount the bodies 192 upon the adjacent side member 102, itbeing understood that the inner nuts 195 are accessible through theslots 108 in the spacers 107. The forward ends of the rails 191 extendbeyond the forward end of the base 101 and carry thereon brackets 196between which extends a connecting bar 197. The connecting bar 197 alsopasses through openings in the slide bars 181 and extends laterallybetween the angle irons 183, thus to provide a connection between theforward end of the slide assembly 180 and the forward ends of the rubrails 191 of the cushioning assemblies 190. Thus, the cushioningassemblies 190 serve to bias the rails 191 into normal positions; andthe rails 191 bias the slide assembly 180 into a normal position. Theslide assembly 180 is movable in the guideways on the inner sides of theside members 102 lo-ngitudinally thereof in the front parts thereof, allfor a purpose more fully explained hereinafter. Any movement of eitherrub rail 191 from its normal position places the associated group ofbodies 192 under shear stresses, whereby the thus stressed bodies 192resiliently oppose such movement of the rail 191 and react to return therail 191 back into its normal position. Hence the bodies 192 actingthrough the rails 191 resiliently cushion movements of the slideassembly 180 acting through the connecting bar 197, and also theyresiliently return the slide assembly 180 back into its normal position.

As is best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the extreme upper end of the strut160 slidably carries a plunger 200, the front end of which terminates ina strike button 205 positioned forwardly of the upper portion of thestandard 130 in its erected position. The plunger 200 has a transverseand longitudinally extending slot 201 therein receiving therethrough apin 202 mounted on the strut 160 to guide the movement of the plunger200 between the outer normal or rest position thereof illustrated inFIG. 4 and an actuated position thereof disposed to the left of theposition illustrated in FIG. 4. The extreme rear end of the plunger 200abuts against the rock lever 145 which serves to urge the plunger 200 tothe outermost position thereof. The upper end of the rock lever 145 isin position to strike the operating button 154 of the plunger 153 on thefth-wheel mechanism. The rear end of the plunger 200 also is in positionto contact a rock lever 206 that is pivotally mounted upon the strut 160and in turn acts upon and is connected to a linkage system connected tothe latches 170. The linkage system includes a slide 210 mounted on thearms 162 of the strut 160 for movement longitudinally thereof and heldin place by a plurality of guides 214 also mounted on the strut 160. Theupper end of the slide 210 has mounted thereon a rst attachment member213 which carries a bolt 212 extending upwardly therefrom and engaging aseco-nd attachment member 211, a nut 209 threadedly engaging the upperthreaded end of the bolt 212 and adjustably to interconnect the bolt 212and the attachment member 211. A pair of springs 215 acting between theslide 210 and the strut 160 serve to bias the slide 210 downwardly awayfrom the rock lever 206. The lower end of the slide 210 carries a pairof cams 216 on either side thereof that travel in elongated slots 217formed in the strut 160, the cams 216 being in position to engagebeneath links 218 on the opposite sides of the strut 160, the links 218being pivotally mounted 9 on a pivot shaft 219 mounted for pivotalmovement on the strut 160. The forward ends of the links 218respectively carry the pins 175 that engage the associated latches 170.A torsion spring 208 is provided about the shaft 219 to urge the partsinto the Set position of the latches 170.

In order to trip the set latches 170, the strike button 205 is struck asharp blow causing it to move rearwardly to the left as viewed in FIG.4, whereby the linkage, including the elements 206, 210, 216, and 218are actuated to operate the latches 170 in the counterclockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 4, readily t lift the latches 170 so thatthe latches 170 disengage or unhook from the associated latch keepers185. The standard 130` is biased by gravity back into its storageposition, whereby the combination of this bias and of the sharp blowmentioned causes the standard 130 to pivot in the counterclockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 4, so that the standard 130 is pivoted fromits erected position back into its storage position. As the standard 130is thus pivoted rearwardly with respect to the base 101, the strut 160moves therewith causing the sohes 165 to slide from their frontpositions into their rear positions in the guideways on the side members102. Both the standard 130 and the strut 160 move through the open topof the base 101 and between the side members 102 and are thus completelyhoused within the hollow base 101 at this time; whereby the latches 170are disposed in the lower rear portion of the base 101, as illustratedby the broken lines in FIG. 3.

The standard 130 may be readily moved or pivoted from its storageposition into its erected position by an associated tractor, not shown,mounted upon the deck plate 20 of the railway car 101 in order tofacilitate such movement, the tractor is provided with a hook thatengages the pick-up bar 140 carried by the standard 130, the hookpreferably being carried by a chain or eXible cable so that access maybe readily had to the pick-up har 140. Thus, after connection of thetractor hook mentioned to the pick-up bar 140, the tractor carried bythe deck plate 20 may be driven forwardly therealong under its ownmotive power, causing a pull-up torque or force to be applied to thestandard 130, with the result that it is pivoted from its storageposition into its erected position. Also, it will be understood that thelatches 170 may be tripped in the manner previously explained by thetractor mentioned carried by the deck plate 20. In this case, thetractor is driven backwardly along the deck plate 20 to cause the rearbumper structure carried thereby to strike or bump into the strikebutton 205, so as to cause the standard 130 to be pivoted from itserected position back into its storage position in the manner describedabove.

Reconsidering the arrangement of the strike button 205, the linkage 145,153, etc., and the linkage 206, 210, 216, 218, etc., it is noted thatthe rearward movement of the strike button 205 always operatescompletely the linkage 145, 153, etc., and then operates completely thelinkage 206, 210, etc.; whereby the rearward movement of the strikebutton 205 rst actuates into its unlocked position the locking mechanismincorporated in the head 156 and then trips the latches 170 carried bythe lower end of the strut 160. This arrangement accommodates thetransfer of the support of the front end of a road semitrailer 50carried by the railway car 10` from the fifthwheel mechanism 150 of thehitch 100 to the fifth-wheel mechanism carried by the rear end of thetractor carried by the railway car 10. Specifically, the tractor isdriven rearwardly along the deck plate 20 of the rear of the railway car10 until the rear bumper structure carried thereby strikes the strikebutton 205; whereby the fifth- Wheel mechanism 150 is actuated into itsunlocked position, and the latches 170 are tripped so as to cause thestandard 160 to be pivoted from its erected position back into itsstorage position in the manner previously explained. The tractorcontinues its rearward movement after striking the strike button 205;whereby the fthwheel mechanism carried by the rear end of the tractor ismoved into supporting relation with the front end of the roadsemitrailer 50, as the fifth-wheel mechanism 150 is moved out ofsupporting relation therewith. The fifthwheel mechanism carried by therear end of the tractor automatically locks the kingpin carried by thesupported front end of the road semitrailer 50; whereby the tractor maythen be driven forwardly along the deck plate 20 to pull or draw theroad semitrailer 50 therewith and from the deck plate 20 of the railwaycar 10.

Also, this arrangement of the hitch accommodates the transfer of thesupport of the front end of a road semitrailer 50 from the fifth-wheelmechanism carried by the rear end of the tractor to the fifth-wheelmechanism 150 carried by the upper end of the standard 130 of the hitch100. In this case, when the standard occupies its storage position, thetractor is driven rearfardly along the deck plate 20 of the railway car10 so as to cause the support road semitrailer 50 to be backed over thehitch 100 and therebehind. The tractor hook is then connected to thepick-up bar 140. The tractor is then driven forwardly along the deckplate 20, so as both to draw the road semitrailer 50 forwardly therewithand to initiate the pivotal movement of the standard 130 from itsstorage position upwardly under the front end of the road semitrailer 50and behind the kingpin thereof and toward the erected position of thestandard 130. As the proper position of the road semitrailer 50 in itsforward movement along the deck plate 20 and with respect to the hitch100, the fifth-wheel mechanism carried by the rear end of the tractorand supporting the front end of the road semitrailer 50 is actuated tounlock the kingpin of the road semitrailer 50; whereby further forwardmovement of the tractor pivots the standard 130 completely into itserected position and moves the fifth-wheel mechanism carried by the rearend of the tractor from its supporting position with respect to thefront end of the road semi-trailer 50 and moves the fth-wheel mechanismcarried by the top of the standard 130 into supporting position withrespect to the front end of the roadV semitrailer 50. As the fifth-wheelmechanism 150 is moved into its supporting position with respect to thefront end of the road semitrailer 50, the locking mechanism incorporatedtherein is automatically actuated into its locked position with respectto the kingpin carried by the supported front end of the roadsemitrailer 50, in the manner previously described.

In the movement of the standard 130 between its storage and erectedpositions, the iifth-fheel mechanism 150 moves therewith and through theopen top of the hollow base 101. In fact, when the standar-d 130occupies its storage position, the strut and the fifth-wheel mechanism150 are housed within the hollow base 101 and disposed below the top ofthe side members 102, all as best illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings.Thus when the standard 130 occupies its storage position, a tractor, aroad semtrailer and even the Hi-Cube van-type of trailer, or othervehicle carried by the deck plate 20 of the railway car 10, may passover the base 101, without interference between the underframe orchassis of the tractor, etc., and the base 101, even when the vehiclehas a low ground clearance. This arrangement accommodates traffic alongthe deck plate 20 of the railway car 10 when the bitches 100 occupytheir collapsed positions, so as to facilitate the loading and unloadingof the road semitrailers 50 with respect to the railway car 10.

Further, the hitch 100 comprises a buffer arrangement or retarderassembly 220 for absorbing kinetic energy from the standard 130, thestrut 160 and the fifth-wheel mechanism 150 incident to the movement ofthese elements into their storage positions within the base 101, aSpreviously described. More particularly, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, abuffer head 221 is mounted between the side members 102 and rearwardlyof the shoes 165 carried by the lower end of the strut 160. The bufferhead 221 is carried upon the front end of a longitudinally extending rod222 that is mounted for longitudinal sliding movements in a bearing 223carried by the rear cross channel 110. The extreme rear end of the rod222 is connected to a link 224 that is opeatively connected to a bufferdevice 225. The buffer device 225 may be of any suitable type, such, forexample, as that shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,704,634, granted on Apr. 5,1955 to Frederick W. Sampson and Allen L. Everitt. As illustrated, thebuffer device 225 comprises a piston 226 operating in a cylinder 227,the forward end of the cylinder 227 being pivotally mounted upon therear cross channel 110 by a pivot 228 and the rear end of the piston 226being pivotally connected to the link 224; also a coil spring 229 isarranged in surrounding relation with the rod 222 and acting between therear of the buffer head 221 and the adacent side of the rear crosschannel 110. Also, the cylinder 227 houses resilient facility, such ascoil springs, not shown, acting between the cylinder 227 and the piston226 and resiliently opposing expansion of the cylinder 227 relative tothe piston 226 and biasing the piston 225 into its retracted positionrelative to the cylinder 227.

As the shoes 165 move rearwardly in the guideways on the side members102 incident to movement 0f the standard 130 from its erected positiontoward its storage position, the extreme rear lower end of the strut 160strikes the buffer head 221 moving the same rearwardly and compressingthe coil spring 229 and causing the rod 222 to slide rearwardly in thebearing 223. The rearmost movement of the rod 222 effects expansion ofthe buffer device 225 between the strap 224 and the pivot 228. Thus someof the kinetic energy of the moving parts 130, 160, etc., is transferredto and absorbed by the coil spring 229 and by the buffer device 225;thereby to minimize the `shock to the moving parts 130, 150, 160, etc.,when they come to rest in their final storage positions within thehollow base 101, so as to prevent damage to the moving parts notedincident to the knock-down of the hitch 100, in the manner previouslydescribed.

In order to prevent injury to the associated operating mechanismtherefor carried by the lower end of the strut 160, a cover 230 has beenprovided thereover and carried by the strut 160, the cover 230 beingheld in the operative position by attachment structures 231 and 232, seeFIGS. 4 and 6 particularly.

It is an important feature of the present invention to provide alow-profile hitch 100 which has an extremely low retracted or storageheight, so that veicles having low ground clearance, such as the Hi-Cubevan-type of trailers, can be moved thereover. It further is highlydesirable that the hitch 100 be directly mountable upon the top of thedeck plate 20 without the provision of any pockets or well therefor,whereby the hitch 100 may be mounted at any desired point along thelength of the associated railway car and specifically may be mounteddirectly over the draft pocket area, all without the use of specialriser boards therealong, and all without extensive modification to therailway car 10.

To this end, the overall height of the hollow base 101 is no more thanabout 6 inches, and in the preferred constructional form of the hitch100 is no more than 51/2 inches. Furthermore, each and every part of thehitch 100 in the storage position thereof lies below the upper surfaceof the base 101 and lies no lower than the lowermost surface of the base101; whereby it may be truly said that all parts of the hitch 100 areconfined between the top and bottom of the hollow base 101.

Several important constructional features contribute to this compact,low-profile configuration of the hitch 100 in its retracted position.For example, the pick-up bar 140 is pivotal so that it is completelycontained within the confines of the standard 130, the plunger 200 isshaped so that it is in effect a continuation of the outline of thestrut 160 and is disposed between the arms 162 thereof; furthermore, theplunger 200 is disposed between the arms of the standard 130 and pivotsdownwardly into a position adajcent to the pick-up bar when the partsare in the storage position. The configuration of the fifthwheelmechanism is also such that when it pivots 90 in a clockwise directionas viewed in FIG. 4, its outline is in essence a continuation of theoutline of the standard 130, and the mechanism thereof including thejaws fit within the opening between the arms 162 of the strut and anopening provided in the slide 210. All of the linkage carried by thestrut 160 is contained within the confines thereof so that when thestrut 160 is in its storage position, no part of the linkage extendsabove and out of the hollow base 101.

From the above, it will be seen that there has been provided a hitchwhich fulfills all of the objects and advantages set forth herein.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be thepreferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood thatvarious modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to coverin the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A low-profile hitch for use in securing in place a road semitraileron a substantially flat deck of an associated railway car, said hitchcomprising a base of rigid substantially rectangular hollow box-likestructure having an open top and adapted to be firmly anchored to thedeck of the associated railway car, said base including a pair oflongitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart upstanding sidemembers having a predetermined vertical extent, a standard pivotallymounted at the lower end thereof in the front end of said hollow baseabout an axis laterally thereof for pivotal movement between a storageposition and an erected position, said standard in its storage positionbeing disposed within said hollow base and between said side members andwithin the vertical extent thereof and rearwardly of said axis and inits erected position being disposed principally out of said hollow baseand principally between said side members, a pair of longitudinallyextending and laterally spaced-apart guideways arranged in said hollowbase and respectively mounted upon the inner sides of said side members,a strut arranged rearwardly of said standard, means pivotally connectingthe front end of said strut to said standard adjacent to the upper endthereof, a pair of laterally spaced-apart bearing shoes connected to therear end of said strut and respectively mounted in the rear parts ofsaid guideways for longitudinally sliding movements with respectthereto, whereby said strut is movable with said standard so that therear end of said strut is slid into rear and front positions bothdisposed rearwardly of said axis in response to respective pivotalmovements of said standard into its storage and erected positions, apair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart slide barsrespectively mounted in the front parts of said guideways and within thevertical extent of said side lmembers for longitudinal sliding movementswith respect thereto and laterally outwardly with respect to both thestandard and the strut, a pair of longitudinal extending and laterallyspacedapart rails respectively resiliently mounted upon the outer sidesof said side members within the vertical extent thereof for longitudinalmovements with respectively arranged between said slide bars and theadjacent one of said rails forwardly of said axis, whereby said railsbias said slide bars into a normal position and resiliently cushionlongitudinal sliding movement of said slide bars out of the normalpositions thereof and with respect to said hollow base, a pair of latchkeepers respectively disposed on said slide Ibars adjacent to the rearends thereof, latching mechanism carried by the rear end of said strutand having a set position connecting the rear end of said strut to saidlatch keepers and a trip position disconnecting the rear end of saidstrut from said latch 13 keepers, means responsive to sliding of therear end of said strut into its front position as said standard ispivoted into its erected position for setting said latching mechanism,said standard in its erected position being biased by said connectedslide bars through said strut into a normal upstanding attitude andbeing pivotable foreand-aft with respect thereto longitudinally of saidhollow base against the bias of said connected slide bars through saidstrut, means operative to trip said latching mechanism, said standardbeing biased into its storage position, whereby said standard is pivotedfrom its erected position back into its storage position in response totripping of said latching mechanism, with the result that said strutmoves therewith so that the rear end of said strut is slid from itsfront position back into its rear position, a buffer arranged withinsaid hollow frame adjacent to the rear thereof and within the verticaleX- tent thereof and mounted thereon for longitudinal movements withrespect thereto and disposed in the path of travel of the rear end ofsaid strut, and a fifth-wheel mechanism carried by the upper end of saidstandard and adapted to be disposed in the erected position of saidstandard 'below and in supporting relation with the front end of acooperating road semitrailer and holding the cooperating kingpinthereon, said fifth-wheel mechanism and a supportedand connected roadsemitrailer being movable as a unit longitudinally of said hollow baseeffecting corresponding pivotal movement of said standard in its erectedposition fore-and-aft with respect to its normal upstanding attitude andlongitudinally of said hollow base, said fifth wheel mechanism beingmovable with said standard to the storage position thereof through theopen top of said base, whereby said fifth-wheel mechanism is alsodisposed within said hollow base and between said side members when saidstandard occupies its storage position, all parts of said hitch beingconned within the predetermined vertical extent of said side members ofsaid hollow base when said standard is in the storage position thereof,thereby to provide a low-profile hitch accommodating in the storageposition the passage thereover of vehicles having low ground clearance.

2. The low-profile hitch set forth in claim 1, wherein said strut has acentral recess therein for receiving the upper end of said standard andsaid fifth-wheel mechanism when said standard is in the storage positionthereof.

3. The low-profile hitch set forth in claim 1, wherein said fifth-wheelmechanism is pivotally mounted to the upper end of said standard toaccommodate the movement of said fifth-wheel mechanism into said hollowbase when said standard is returned to the storage position thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,041,028 6/ 1962 McDowell.3,050,320 8/1962 Clejan. 3,168,878 2/ 1965 Clejan. 3,189,307 6/1965Peterson. 3,225,707 12/1965 Rollins et al. 3,252,432 5/ 1966 Hartzell.3,358,955 12/1967 Wille et al.

FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. --368

